Trousers-stretcher.



PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM T.

PATENT OFFICE.

TROUSERS-STRETOHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

Application filed June 12,1906. Serial No. 321,414.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM T. SI-IOEMAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, 1 have invented a new and useful Trousers-Stretcher, of I which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in devices for stretching trousers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of devices for stretching trousers, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient device adapted to enable a pair of trousers to be quickly stretched without liability of tearing, or otherwise injuring the fabric, and capable of enabling such garments to be easily pressed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawingz-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trousers stretcher, constructed in accordance with this invention any arranged to receive a pair of trousers. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same, the trousers stretcher being folded. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the clamping bars.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

The trousers stretcher is composed of two folding sections or members 1 and 2, adapted to be arranged flat upon a table, counter, or other support, in the same horizontal plane, to receive a pair of trousers, and they are connected at the lower faces of their inner contiguous ends by means of hinges 3, which permit the sec tions or members to fold flat against each other, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 6f the drawing.

The lower or inner faces of the sections or members are fitted against each other, when the sections ormembers are folded; and the trousers and the clamping means, hereinafter described, are arranged on the upper or outer faces of the sections or members, so as not to interfere with the complete folding of the same, and also to enable a pair of trousers to be stretched by such folding movement.

The sections or members are of uniform length and of substantially the same area, but the section 1 is preferably rounded at the outer end to present an ornamental or finished appearance. The pintle of the hinge 3 is arranged at the lower faces of the sections or members 1 and 2, when the latter are in alinement, or

in the same plane, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. This arrangement exposes the inner edges of the sections, when the latter are folded flat against each other.

The trousers stretcher is provided with a fabric covering 4, secured at the side edges of the sections, and the said covering embodies a continuous strip or piece 5, arranged at the upper faces of the sections 1 and 2, when the latter are unfolded and in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and when the sections are folded, the intermediate portion of the continuous strip is drawn over the inner end edges of the sections, and over the said hinges, so as to present a smooth unbroken surface to the trousers, when stretching the same.

The trousers are secured to the upper or outer faces of the sections or members by clamping bars 8 and 9, when the said sections or members are unfolded. These clamping bars 8 and 9, which are arranged transversely of the trousers stretcher, extend across the sections and are adjustably connected with the same by means of bolts or screws 10 and thumb nuts 11. The bolts 01' screws are permanently mounted on and project from the outer faces of the sections or members and pierce the clamping bars, which are engaged by the thumb nuts 11, washers 12 being preferably interposed between the clamping bars and the clamping nuts. By this construction the clamping devices are permanently carried by the sections or members of the trousers stretcher.

The sections or members may be conveniently constructed of thin boards, reinforced at the side and end edges by marginal strips or pieces 6 and 7.

When it is desired to stretch and press a pair of trousers, a damp cloth is first placed on the device; the trousers are then placed in position and another damp cloth is placed over the trousers, which are tightly clamped at the bottom by means of the end clamping bar 9. The intermediate clamping bar 8 is then adj usted so as to permit the trousers to slip through or under the intermediate clamping bar, sufficiently to prevent the fabric from being injured when the device is folded to stretch the garment. The folding of the device will stretch the garment a distance twice the thickness of the sections or members, and the slipping of the garment under the intermediate clamping bars willenable the trousers to be stretched to the desired extent without injuring the same. After the trousers have been stretched by the folding of the device, the intermediate clamping bar may then be firmly engaged with the garment. A crease may be easily made in the trousers, by the aid of the back of a brush, orany other suitable means, and the trousers are then permitted to remain on the device until dry. The device, however, may be advantageously employed by tailors, and the trousers after being stretched by the folding of the device may be creased and pressed with an iron.

This will enable the operation of the stretching and pressing a pair of trousers to be performed in a very few minutes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A trousers stretcher comprising two sections, a hinge connecting the inner ends of the sections and arranged to permit the latter to fold flat against each other, a fabric covering for the trousers stretcher embodying a continuous 10 strip or piece disposed on the upper faces of the sections and having its intermediate portion arranged to be stretched over the inner end edges of the sections and over the said hinge, when the sections are folded, and clamping means carried by the sections.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM 'l. SHOEHAKER.

v Witnesses:

A. G. S. Coornn, M. F. KEARNEY, J r. 

